Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-10-27
DEMOCRATIC RULE.

~
Has Done for the Country and Why 1t
Should BE Continued in Powe--An Able
Document Based Upon History and Facts
Within the Recollection OF Every INTEL
Ggent Reader.
Hon. John G. Carlisle. Speaker Of
the House of Representatives for two
terms. contributes an able article on
the Continuance of Democratic Rule
to recent issue of the Forum, from
which we quote as follows:
In undertaking TO state some Of the reasons
why the Democratic party should be continued
in power, it is necessary. in the first instance,
TO call attention to the difference of opinion be-
tween the two existing parties concerning the
nature and extent OF the Federal power under
the constitution, because il IS manifest that
their administration OF public affairs must be
greatly Influenced by their respective views
upon this fundamental question This differ
ence of opinion has existed continuously since
the organization of the Government, and has
always constituted as it still does, the most
clearly defined line OF separation between po-
utlcal parties IN this country II would have
been reasonable TO suppose that after nearly a
hundred years OF practical administration OF
the Government under the institution, after
repeated decisions OF the question by the high
est judicial tribunals, and after tee thorough
and able discussions that have taken place at
every stage of the controversy, the relations
between the several States and their people
and the Government of the United States
would he yell understood, and their separate
rights aad powers fully recognized by all par
ties. Such, however, is not the case. In
theory and practice the Republican
party CT to-day is more eXtraTagant in its as
sert;on of what it calls National author
ity' than its Federalist progen:+or was q
century ago. During the short period between
the close Of the war and the year 1875, while it
controlled the legislation in Congress, it passed
a greater number of uncon ;tltutional enact
ments than can be found in all the remainder
Of our legislative history But IL was not in
Congress alone that this dangerous tendency
toward the concentration and arbitrary exer-
else of power was exhibited The Executive
Department, in all its branches, was equally
Indifferent TO the limitations imposed upon IT
by the constitution and laws, and the Presi-
dent was rapidly becoming what Patrick Hen
~ predicted he would be, ''an American King
So arrogant and intolerant was this spirit OF EN-
croachment upon the reserved rights of the
States and people, that the conservative ele-
ments in the country spontaneously combined
to resist il, and the conseque zee was that since
the fourth day of March, 1873 but one Republic
an House OF Represent tives has met
at Washington. and IL 1876 a large
majority of the popular vote was cast
for the Democratic candidi ties for President
and Vice-President- It is, p rhaps, not going
too fcr TO say that if the Rep Iblican party had
not been deprived OF power in the popular
branch of the Legislative d. partment, and if
the warning OF 1876 had not zen given by the
people, our federatiVe syste L OF government
would have been by this time substantially
overthrow, and the right OF local self-govern-
ment, which les at the very foundation of OUR
free institutions, would haN been confined to
the narrowest possible init 5
It is an indisputable histo 'ioal fact that the
constitution of the United states was adopted
and the Union formed unde- it by the people Of
the several States, each political community
acting separately and inde pendently OF all
others, through It's own Sth1c organization 1t
is equally unden able thst he Government
thus created by the peoD OF the several
States was one Of defined ard limited powers,
and that all powers not del gated to it, nor pro-
hibited to the States, were Il the language of
the const tuition itself, served 10 the States,
respectively, or to the people" This brief
statement comprehends tn whole Democratic
theory Of constitutional government in this
country, and it must be evident
TO every who seriously reflects upon
the subject that 1t is the only theory upon
which the orderly and harmonious eXer-
else of State and Federal authority over the
same territory and people IN be permanently
maintained. Conflicts of Authority necessarily
produce dissension and strife, and it is there
fore essential to the repose o" the country that
the division of power betw cen the State ana
Federal governments shau be scrupulously
observed by the party in control OF the Admin
istration. The Importance of such a policy
was never greater or more apparent than now.
After long period OF uncertainty and unrest
the whole country mas Hndlly duIuSLSu ItSSll
TO the new conditions imposed by the war, and
nll that appears to be needed TO insure an era
OF great Industrial and commercial prosperity
is continued assurance that political ana SEC
t.onal controversies VIII not be permitted to
disturb the pursuits of the people The
present Democratic Administration, instead
OF depressing business and arresting the devel-
opment of our sources as was pred cted, has
inspired feeling of confidence and secur-
ity that did not exist before for more than
,arfRr of
the Union but more especially in the
South, capital has been invested commercial
relations have been established, and large en-
terprises have been projected upon the faith
that no further harsh eXtraord mary pollti-
cal measures would be adopted or attempted.
Unless all the present locations are de-
ce tive, the return of the Republican party TO
power would be Immediately followed by the
introduction of propositions still further to ex-
tend the supervision OF the Federal authori-
ties ov or the local and domestic affairs OF The
people, and by an unnecessary and hurtful re-
agit alton of race and sectional questions which
have already been settled upon the precise
terms dictated by itself Having demonstrated
its incapaclty TO deal with the subject by at
tempting the political and social reconstruc-
tion of the Southern States upon the irrational
theory that the people who had been slaves all
their lives, and VINO were totally ignorant OF
the character of our institutions, were The best
guardians OF our liberties, 1t now complains
that the newly enfranchised race does not ex-
ercise the power conferred upon II, ana upon
this provocation the country is threat
ened with a renewal OF the strife which
all patriotic citizens had hoped was
ended forever. Very little, if any, direct
evidence IS produced TO prove that the colored
vote in the South is improperly suppressed or
controlled, but the returns OF State ana Con-
gressionaI elections are exhibited, showing
that only a small portion of the total vote in
the State or district was actually cast, and
then il is assumed, without otDer testimony,
,Dlo init
tine negro from exercising the right
of suffrage But unfortunately for
the agitators, the figures they produce
show exclusively that thousands Of
white Democrats failed to vote at the same
elections and their absence from the polls
must also be accounted for. The truth is, that
the failure OF both races to vote is attributed
TO the same causes, and unless the Republican
party is prepared TO adopt compulsory suffrage,
it VIII find its efforts TO remove the present